DOE - NNSA

“I’m encouraged based upon where we were two or three years ago in terms of the big projects” said Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) as he wrapped up a hearing on the FY 2016 request for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).   Alexander’s subcommittee and the counterpart House subcommittee held hearings on the overall NNSA request on March 4 and 11.

The Obama Administration has requested an increase of 10.2 percent in the budget for the National Nuclear Security Administration in FY 2016.  Under this request, sent to Congress on Monday, the budget would increase from $11,399.0 million to $12,565.4 million.

Congress is nearing completion of the FY 2015 appropriations cycle.  The House and Senate are scheduled to consider a $1.1 trillion bill providing funding through September 30, 2015 for all departments and agencies with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security that will be funded through early 2015.

Senate appropriators have released their draft committee report accompanying the FY 2015 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill.  As previously noted in FYI #127, this bill was scheduled for action by the full Senate Appropriations Committee in mid-June, but was pulled from consideration because of concerns about an expected amendment to the bill to restrict EPA’s ability to regulate carbon emissions from existing power plants.  No new date has been scheduled.

The House of Representatives has completed work on the appropriations bill funding the Department of Energy in Fiscal Year 2015.  The $34 billion bill was passed last Thursday night by a vote of 253-170. 

The White House has threatened to veto the FY 2015 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill that the full House of Representatives is now considering.  A Statement of Administration Policy issued today by the Office of Management and Budget on H.R. 4923 declares:

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on June 12 to focus on the threat of crude explosives using radiological materials and efforts to secure these materials.  The hearing drew on a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, Nuclear Nonproliferation: Additional Actions Needed to Increase the Security of U.S.

On Wednesday the House Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2015 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill.  The $34 billion bill provides funding for the Department of Energy, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) which received $11.4 billion.
 

The Obama Administration’s request to pause FY 2015 construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility was the focus of a hearing of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee.  None of the powerful senators at this hearing were pleased with this strategy that was in the FY 2015 budget request for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nonproliferation program.